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Reina issues rallying call

Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina has called on his team-mates to show "heart, passion and belief" following their draw in Lyon.

The 1-1 scoreline leaves the Reds Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.

Liverpool led through Ryan Babel's thunderbolt only for Lisandro Lopez to pop up with a last-gasp equaliser, meaning Rafael Benitez's side must now win their two remaining games in Group E and hope already-qualified Lyon can do them a favour against Fiorentina if they are to reach the last 16.

It is an unlikely scenario but Spanish goalkeeper Reina is refusing to give up hope.

"We must continue to show heart, passion and belief," he said.

"If anyone can do this, Liverpool can. But now it (qualification) is not in our own hands, it does not only depend on what we do.

"We were unlucky, but we must keep fighting until we have more options with players getting fit again.

"I felt we had done enough to have won, and deserved it too. Maybe not beforehand in the previous matches when we did not play well.

"But this was different, this was a much better performance. When we play like we did in Lyon, we know we are good enough.

"Now it is very, very difficult for us. But we must show strong character and fight right to the end. We know we have enough good players to sort this out.

"The players will take heart from this, at least we know we are getting back to the form we know we should be producing every week."

Failure to qualify for the knockout stages would have financial implications for the Merseysiders but Reina denies it would be a disaster, adding: "I do not accept that not going through will be a disaster for the club.

"We have been in the Champions League now for several years, one failure is not a disaster.

"Not many teams have reached the semi-final twice and two finals - including a title victory - in the last few seasons. It can happen again, we get closer to our real form with every game.

"Any team would miss the quality of the players who are injured at the moment, but we have others who can play and who can produce the right performances to get us out of this mess."

Stand-in skipper Jamie Carragher is another yet to give up hope.

He said: "We still believe we will get through. We know it is going to be difficult but we are not out of it yet. All we can do is win our next two games and see what happens.

"We have been in difficult positions before and come through like in 2005 when we had to win in Marseille to qualify. A draw in Lyon does not mean we're totally out of it."

Carragher was also quick to defend the under-fire Benitez, adding: "If you look at the manager's record in Europe; we've won it and been to the final, semi-final and quarter-finals. So our Champions League record under the manager has been superb."

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Milan move to boost Beckham's hopes

England midfielder David Beckham hopes his return loan move to AC Milan will be the boost that helps him realise his World Cup dream.

Under pressure from England coach Fabio Capello to stay sharp by playing at the highest level, the Los Angeles Galaxy star will arrive at the San Siro in January.

Both Beckham and the Italian club are excited about the reunion, with the 34-year-old having helped the San Siro outfit clinch a top-four finish last season to earn a place in the Champions League qualifying stages.

"David Beckham and Milan, Milan and David Beckham. The relationship is serious, the handshake is solid," read a statement on the club's official website, www.acmilan.com.

"The arrival of the English champion on December 20 last year at (Milan's) Malpensa airport was just the first step of a beautiful adventure, that continued with reciprocal satisfaction."

Beckham, who earned the admiration of the Milan fans and his team-mates during his first spell at the club, is eager to again deliver.

"I needed to give myself the best possible opportunity to go to the World Cup and to play on loan for Milan will help me to do that," said Beckham.

"I really enjoyed my previous experience at Milan and I can't wait to see the team and the staff again."

Milan coach Leonardo predicted at the weekend that Beckham's return would bring a further touch of quality and experience to his side.

"I consider Beckham as if he had always been here because he has only been away for six months," said Leonardo, who acted as assistant to Carlo Ancelotti last season.

"He will be a player that will contribute a lot not only on the pitch but also inside the squad, as the players like him infinitely."

Midfielder Clarence Seedorf believes Beckham's arrival will have a positive impact.

"Beckham can certainly help Milan," said Seedorf. "We became friends during his loan spell here, and for that reason it would make me happy to see him return.

"It will be good for Milan and for him too because it would be a pity not to see him in the World Cup.

"He is a player who has already made an important contribution to Milan, and I am convinced that he will continue to do so."
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Gerrard misses Lyon trip, Torres travels

Steven Gerrard has been ruled out of Liverpool's Champions League trip to Lyon, but Fernando Torres will be on the plane.

Although Gerrard has now played just 25 minutes of five matches since he sustained a groin injury while on England duty, boss Rafael Benitez has delayed any decision on whether his captain needs an operation.

Club sources suggest that Benitez is happy that Gerrard's treatment is progressing well and that the player's injury problem is improving.

If Gerrard does have an operation on his groin, it will rule him out for a month and he would be unlikely to play again until mid-December.

Liverpool are trying to avoid that eventuality, and Benitez will assess the midfielder's fitness levels again when the Anfield men return from Wednesday's match.

Gerrard will then have more intensive treatment ahead of the club's next league match, at home to Birmingham on Monday.

Torres will travel with the party, having been taken off at Fulham on Saturday after a hour to protect his adductor muscle injury.

Albert Riera (hamstring), Martin Kelly (ankle) and Martin Skrtel (muscle and virus), are also definitely out of the Group E match that Liverpool must win if they want to retain any serious hopes of qualifying for the last 16.

But £20million Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani will be available for selection after recovering from a virus.

Benitez said: "Aquilani trained today but was a little bit weak. Hopefully in two days' time he will be better.

"Gerrard won't travel to Lyon. He has no chance. He is improving but we have to wait. He has had an injection but we have to wait two or three days and see how he reacts.

"Skrtel has no chance. He has a small muscle problem. It's not too big but he is feeling something."

Meanwhile, the Liverpool manager will make late fitness calls on the recovering Daniel Agger (back), Glen Johnson (calf), Fabio Aurelio (calf) and David Ngog (ankle), none of whom travelled to Craven Cottage.

Benitez said: "Agger is improving - he will travel and we will then decide. He felt something in his back but it's much better now. We have to wait and see how he reacts.

"Fabio is improving but he still has a small problem in his calf, so we will have to wait. Ngog is much better, so he could be available.

"Johnson is training and working with the physios but he is a doubt at this moment. He will travel to Lyon and we will see."

Benitez again explained his decision to substitute Torres at Fulham, saying: "I was surprised with the criticism after the game because Fernando has had problems in the last month after the international games.

"We are trying to manage because he was close to having an operation. Still this morning, two days after the game, he is feeling something.

"He is not comfortable. He has not got the power he had before, so we have to manage and try to protect him. He cannot play well if you keep pushing him. Maybe if you push him he will be injured for a long time.

"So, I am really surprised with the critics. When you talk about big names, people just analyse the names and not how the player is when he is on the pitch. He was not 100% fit.

"We have to take Fernando to Lyon because we don't have too many options. We have to keep working with him and the rest of the players."

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Premier League Saturday Team News

Here's all the team news and previews ahead of Saturday night's Barclays Premier League matches.

Bolton vs Chelsea

Chelsea have doubts over striker Salomon Kalou and defender Branislav Ivanovic ahead of their trip to Bolton.

Both will undergo late fitness tests after collecting minor knocks in the Carling Cup win over Wanderers in midweek.

But Ashley Cole (ankle), Jose Bosingwa (knee), Yury Zhirkov (knee), John Mikel Obi (knee) and Hilario (concussion) are all out.

However, Chelsea welcome back John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, Nicolas Anelka, Michael Essien and Frank Lampard. They were all rested in midweek.

Bolton boss Gary Megson has an almost fully fit squad to pick from.

Striker Johan Elmander made his return to first-team action after a hamstring injury when he came off the bench against Chelsea in the Carling Cup tie between the two teams on Wednesday night.

Only long-term absentees Joey O'Brien and Sean Davis, who both have knee problems, remain on the sidelines.

Teams:

Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Al Habsi, Ricketts, Steinsson, Knight, Cahill, A O'Brien, Samuel, Robinson, M Davies, Basham, Muamba, Cohen, McCann, Gardner, Taylor, K Davies, Klasnic, Lee, Elmander.

Chelsea (from): TBA


Man United vs Blackburn

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is facing a defensive headache ahead of the Premier League match against Blackburn at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand are both doubtful with calf problems and Gary Neville is suspended.

Ryan Giggs also has a knock and Danny Welbeck, who scored in the Carling Cup victory against Barnsley in midweek, is sidelined with a knee injury.

Darren Fletcher and Ji-Sung Park remain absent with groin and knee injuries respectively.

Jason Roberts is the latest Blackburn player to come down with suspected swine flu.

The striker did not report to training on Friday morning and is almost certain to miss out.

One player also thought to have suffered with the virus is David Dunn, but the midfielder looked to be in good health when he came off the bench against Peterborough in the Carling Cup on Tuesday night, and is set to play again.

Another is Chris Samba, who is back in training but unlikely to feature as he is still feeling weak.

Pascal Chimbonda returns having recovered from his calf injury and Vince Grella is back in training after his thigh problem, but is unlikely to appear for the first team until next week.

Teams:

Manchester United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Foster, O'Shea, Vidic, Ferdinand, Brown, J Evans, Evra, Anderson, Rafael, Carrick, Scholes, Valencia, Giggs, Rooney, Barbatov, Nani, Owen, Macheda, Obertan, Fabio, Tosic.

Blackburn (from): Robinson, Chimbonda, Salgado, Givet, Nelsen, Diouf, Andrews, Pedersen, Dunn, Brown, Jacobsen, Nzonzi, Emerton, Hoilett, Kalinic, McCarthy, Olsson, Jones, Di Santo.


Tottenham vs Arsenal

Manuel Almunia could be set for a recall to Arsenal's starting XI for Saturday's derby with Tottenham.

Arsene Wenger is likely to make several changes from the side which beat Liverpool in the Carling Cup in midweek but Lukas Fabianski (thigh), Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott (both knee) miss out.

Samir Nasri made his first appearance of the season against Liverpool after recovering from a broken leg and is likely to be on the bench on Saturday.

Teams:

Arsenal (from): Mannone, Clichy, Gallas, Vermaelen, Sagna, Eboue, Song, Fabregas, Diaby, Arshavin, van Persie, Almunia, Eduardo, Vela, Gibbs, Silvestre, Wilshere, Ramsey, Bendtner.

Tottenham (from): TBA


Fulham vs Liverpool

Steven Gerrard will miss his third successive Liverpool match on Saturday with the groin injury he picked up playing for England in Ukraine earlier this month.

Liverpool will also be without England full-back Glen Johnson (calf) for the game against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani, who made his first-team debut at Arsenal in the Carling Cup on Wednesday, has picked up a virus and will not be in the squad while Rafael Benitez will give a late test to Fernando Torres (groin) but expects him to be available.

Teams:

Fulham (from): TBA

Liverpool (from): Reina, Aurelio, Carragher, Agger, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Babel, Lucas, Mascherano, Benayoun, Kuyt, Torres, Voronin, Ngog, Plessis, Spearing, Dossena, Cavalieri, Degen.

Everton vs Aston Villa

Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel could make his 200th successive Premier League performance against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Friedel is likely to replace Brad Guzan even though his fellow American made three penalty shoot-out saves in the midweek Carling Cup win over Sunderland.

Defender Stephen Warnock is battling to overcome an ankle injury suffered against the Black Cats and Nicky Shorey could deputise if he is ruled out.

Striker Emile Heskey and midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker picked up knocks but Villa manager Martin O'Neill is hopeful of having them available.

John Carew and Steve Sidwell, who made way for the duo at the Stadium of Light, will be in contention for a recall to the starting line-up.

Everton could be without 10 senior players.

Defender Leighton Baines is poised to return from a calf injury, while striker Louis Saha, who has a similar problem, will be given time to prove his fitness.

Ayegbeni Yakubu is in contention for a place in the starting XI after overcoming his heel problem to play against Tottenham on Tuesday, while Joseph Yobo, who did not feature, could return after suffering concussion.

Teams:

Everton (from): Howard, Hibbert, Heitinga, Distin, Neill, Coleman, Gosling, Rodwell, Cahill, Jo, Saha, Fellaini, Nash, Duffy, Agard, Baxter, Wallace, Akpan, Yakubu, Baines, Yobo.

Aston Villa (from): Friedel, Guzan, Cuellar, Beye, Luke Young, Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Shorey, Milner, Petrov, Sidwell, Reo-Coker, Delph, Gardner, Ashley Young, Agbonlahor, Carew, Heskey, Delfouneso, Clark.

Sunderland vs West Ham

Sunderland striker Darren Bent is facing a race to be fit for Saturday's Premier League visit of West Ham, as he battles to overcome a knee problem.

The forward missed Tuesday's Carling Cup penalty shoot-out defeat by Aston Villa but is rated as better than 50-50 for the Hammers clash, after returning to training on Thursday

Fellow striker Fraizer Campbell is a doubt after suffering a knock against Villa, while Phil Bardsley (shoulder) and George McCartney (hip) are also touch-and-go.

Midfielder Bolo Zenden and centre-back John Mensah are ruled out. Lee Cattermole is a long-term absentee with knee ligament damage.

West Ham will be without Scott Parker.

The midfielder was sent off towards the end of last Sunday's 2-2 draw with Arsenal and serves a one-match ban, so Czech midfielder Radoslav Kovac comes in.

Kieron Dyer has suffered another setback and faces three weeks out with a hamstring problem picked up in training. Italian striker Alessandro Diamanti is pushing to start following his game-turning performance as a substitute against the Gunners.

Teams:

Sunderland (from): Gordon, Fulop, Bardsley, Da Silva, Nosworthy, Ferdinand, Turner, Richardson, McCartney, Reid, Malbranque, Cana, Henderson, Campbell, Jones, Bent, Healy, Murphy.

West Ham (from): Green, Ilunga, Tomkins, Upson, Gabbidon, Noble, Faubert, Behrami, Kovac, Collison, Cole, Diamanti, Kurucz, Spector, Da Costa, Stanislas, Jimenez, Franco, Hines.

Stoke vs Wolves

Wolves welcome back striker Stefan Maierhofer for Saturday's trip to Stoke in the Premier League after the Austrian served a one-match ban.

However manager Mick McCarthy is poised to name an unchanged starting line-up, with Maierhofer on the bench as Kevin Doyle and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake continue in attack.

On-loan Chelsea central defender Michael Mancienne is available again after missing the last two games through illness.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis is expected to recall goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen to his starting line-up following the Dane's late withdrawal at Tottenham last weekend with flu.

Steve Simonsen stepped in and performed heroics to secure a 1-0 win at White Hart Lane, and was again in the side that lost 4-0 at Portsmouth in the Carling Cup on Tuesday.

Pulis also has to decide whether to bring Mamady Sidibe into the reckoning after the striker's return to action at Fratton Park following a knee injury.

Tuncay also performed well at Portsmouth and could force his way into a side still missing the suspended Robert Huth.

Teams:

Stoke (from): Sorensen, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Faye, Collins, Delap, Whelan, Whitehead, Diao, Etherington, Beattie, Tuncay, Fuller, Higginbotham, Cort, Lawrence, Kitson, Pugh, Simonsen, Sidibe.

Wolves (from): Hennessey, Hahnemann, Zubar, Stearman, Berra, Mancienne, Craddock, Elokobi, Hill, Kightly, Halford, Henry, Milijas, Surman, Castillo, Edwards, Jarvis, Ebanks-Blake, Iwelumo, Keogh, Maierhofer, Doyle.

Portsmouth vs Wigan

Wigan will be without Maynor Figueroa in their Premier League clash at Portsmouth on Saturday as he recovers from a knee injury.

The Honduran full-back is expected to be sidelined for up to seven weeks after suffering the setback in the victory against Burnley.

Paul Scharner is doubtful with a hamstring injury while goalkeeper Chris Kirkland remains troubled by a dislocated finger.

Portsmouth welcome back Kevin-Prince Boateng, Jamie O'Hara, Mike Williamson and Tommy Smith.

The quartet were cup-tied for Tuesday's Carling Cup win over Stoke.

Papa Bouba Diop (hamstring) and Hermann Hreidarsson (foot tendon) are still recovering and will not feature against the Latics.

Teams:

Portsmouth (from): James, Kaboul, Mokoena, Mullins, Kanu, Basinas, Belhadj, Vanden Borre, Piquionne, Ben-Haim, Yebda, Dindane, Finnan, Webber, Brown, Wilson, Ashdown, O'Hara, Boateng, Williamson, Smith.

Wigan (from): Kirkland, Bramble, Scharner, Gomez, Melchiot, Boyce, N'Zogbia, Diame, Thomas, Scotland, Rodallega, Koumas, Sinclair, Pollitt, Cho, Kapo, Kingson, McCarthy.

Burnley vs Hull

Troubled Hull will be without goalkeeper Boaz Myhill for Saturday's vital trip to Burnley.

The Wales international injured his medial knee ligaments in the closing stages of last weekend's goalless draw with fellow strugglers Portsmouth and will sit out the clash, though under-pressure manager Phil Brown is hopeful he will not prove a long-term absentee.

Star midfielder Jimmy Bullard did not train with his team-mates on Thursday due to a shin injury and a decision is still to be made on his participation at Turf Moor.

Burnley boss Owen Coyle will give goalkeeper Brian Jensen "every chance" to recover from the injury he sustained in last weekend's home defeat to Wigan.

X-rays revealed the Burnley stopper, who has yet to resume full training, had suffered only slight ligament damage to his ankle so Diego Penny is on stand-by.

Stephen Jordan suffered a thigh strain in the same game but he is expected to recover in time.

The Clarets are still without long-term absentees Martin Paterson, Chris McCann (both knee) and Jay Rodriguez (ankle).

Teams:

Burnley (from): Jensen, Caldwell, Mears, Eckersley, Duff, Carlisle, Bikey, Jordan, Alexander, Fletcher, Elliott, Blake, Thompson, Eagles, Penny, Kalvanes, Gudjonsson, Edgar, Easton, Nugent, Guerrero.

Hull (from): Warner, Duke, McShane, Kilbane, Sonko, Dawson, Barmby, Marney, Zayatte, Geovanni, Hunt, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Ghilas, Mendy, Altidore, Bullard, Gardner, Mouyokolo, Olofinjana, Cousin, Halmosi, Boateng, Fagan, Garcia, Cooper, Atkinson, Featherstone.

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Leonardo: Milan have turned the corner

AC Milan coach Leonardo was ecstatic with his side after their 3-2 victory over Real Madrid, adding that his team is back to their best.

Milan fell behind early in the game, but roared back in the second half as they scored three goals to make a victorious comeback; recording their second victory in four days.

"Beyond the choices made by the coaches, this was a victory that was achieved through the collective spirit of the squad," Leonardo explained in an interview with Rai.

"Tonight we found the right way to channel our determination, and again, this had nothing to do with my choices, and the formations I deployed on the field.

"We continued our good form against Roma here tonight, when in the second half we were able to turn things around, despite being in a very difficult situation."

Milan's critics have slammed the Rossoneri for revving up their game only for European competitions in recent years, something Leonardo is keen to refute.

He continued, "Do we wake up only when we play in the Champions League? Absolutely not, and we demonstrated this on Sunday [against Roma]. Now we must continue this form, and bring this energy with us into the championship."

The Milan coach also took time to hail his young striker Alexandre Pato, who scored two goals to lead the team to a crucial win.

"Pato is an amazing player, and I did not discover that this evening. However, it's moments like these that solidify a player. He is a treasure to us, and I plan to always keep hold of him," he concluded.

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Ronaldo: We will win the treble!

Cristiano Ronaldo is convinced that Real Madrid will walk away with three trophies at the end of the season.

The Portuguese star has been out of action following an injury and in his absence, Madrid have slumped record poor results most notably their 4-0 trashing at the hands of Alcorcon in the Cope del Rey on Tuesday.

Ronaldo is eager to get back to full fitness and help his team out of their crisis but he will have to wait a few more days.

Speaking to AS, he declared: "That's already happened, we lost. The team has been hard hit by the defeat, but now the atmosphere is already different. These things happen. We are better than that and are going to get a result against Getafe,

"The solution is not to throw the coach out. There is no need to change anything, the team will come out of this rut. I am convinced we will win the League and Cup and the Champions [League],"

The former Manchester United winger also made known his intentions of making an early comeback.

He said: "The Milan is going to be a difficult game, but I am convinced we will get a result. If I am well enough I want to play against Alcorcon but only if I have recovered one hundred percent,"

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Kaka: Real Madrid will still qualify

Real Madrid were defeated by AC Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu, as the Italian side fired three past their hosts in the second half.

The triumph marked a return to form for Alexandre Pato, and it was a special night for Kaka, who took to the field against his former team for the first time since joining Los Merengues.

"I'm sorry that we lost against my old team tonight, but Pato is a very strong player," Kaka told Sky Italia.

"I was hoping to get a win, but we weren't able to. I hope that we can get it right next time, so we can qualify from the group stage.

"In the end we will qualify though," the Brazilian playmaker added.

Kaka took some time to talk about Milan's alleged downfall, which he expunged as a myth.

He continued, "I never believed that Milan were in crisis. After six years at the club, I knew that they were still very strong in Europe.

"At the key moments, they have the grit required to win."

Kaka greeted his former running mates well before the match, and was among them after the game. He even managed to exchange his shirt for two Rossoneri shirts after the showdown.

"Who did I exchange my shirts with? One with Ambrosini and one with Inzaghi," he concluded.

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Kuyt: Alberto’s Aqui-sition a hit

Dirk Kuyt claims that Liverpool has brought in a quality player in the form of £20 million acquisition, Alberto Aquilani.

Aquilani took to the field for the first time for the Reds in a substitute appearance in Liverpool's Carling Cup loss to Arsenal on Wednesday.

The former Roma star has not featured in the current campaign after going under the knife for an ankle problem in May.

However, Kuyt insists that Aquilani has hit it well with his Liverpool team-mates on and off the pitch.

"We are happy for Alberto that he made his debut. Hopefully, we will see a lot more from him. He is a nice lad," Kuyt told The Sun.

"He tries to be involved in training and away from the pitch.

"He tried to play cards with us before the Arsenal game and he has attempted to pick up the language. To be honest, he is learning very quickly for an Italian!

"We all know Alberto is a quality player. I think Arsene Wenger said nice things about him.

"It's now up to him to see how good he is in the Premier League. He is desperate to play well in England."

Liverpool will visit Craven Cottage to take on Fulham on Saturday, and that is followed by an crucial game against Lyon next Wednesday in the Champions League.

Rafael Benitez's men have lost four Premier League games this season and two of their European fixtures in a row to leave their Champions League aspirations in tatters.

But Kuyt added: "We were a bit unlucky against Arsenal. We now go with a lot of confidence to Fulham.

"Everyone knows it is a big week for us with big games coming up. Hopefully, if we win at Fulham, we can be right back in it in the league.

"We believe we can win the next couple of games, get a good run and you never know what can happen. We beat Manchester United last week and we got a lift from that."

Reds team-mate Emiliano Insua added that Liverpool are playing better after their win over Manchester United broke their four-game losing streak.

Insua said: "Now we have to try and win at Fulham and then in the Champions League.

"We had a big win against Manchester United and we have always had belief in ourselves. We know we can do good things as a team."

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Benitez: Gerrard causing concern

Steven Gerrard's long-term fitness holds the key to what Liverpool can still achieve this season.

Manager Rafael Benitez is still privately furious that Gerrard sustained and aggravated a groin injury on England duty.

The midfielder is already out of Saturday's Premier League trip to Fulham and has little chance of being involved in the vital Champions League game at Lyon next Wednesday.

Benitez is well aware that a poor result at Craven Cottage, followed by an almost certain exit from Europe if they lose in Lyon, will see him back in the firing line.

But the prospect of an operation for Gerrard is not being ruled out, and that would mean an even longer absence.

Benitez said: "Gerrard is improving but the next week will be crucial in terms of any decision about what we will do with him.

"I have talked to him today, he is working with the medical team and his progress is slow, but we will then have to decide what to do if he is not progressing as quickly as we would hope.

"He has had this problem for some time but when he has a lot of games for his club, as well as the national team, it is not easy to give him a rest.

"We will try to manage this differently in the future but we always have the same problem, that he wants to play in every match.

"And that applies to England as well. It is very positive, it is a fine mentality, but maybe we should be looking at the right way to handle a problem that continues to cause him trouble.

"I do not believe he will have this problem for the rest of his career but we certainly need to find a solution now. We have a good medical staff, I have confidence we can manage this problem."

Fernando Torres, still not fully fit from his groin injury, will be pressed into service at Fulham and Lyon but Glen Johnson will not play tomorrow and is doubtful for Lyon.

Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani has picked up a virus, Benitez joking: "It is a virus but not swine flu, we haven't got that here yet."

Benitez added: "I do not know yet whether Steven will play in Lyon, we must work with him. But it is true there is a problem.

"We do have an issue if he is not fit for Lyon, it is a crucial time. In three days we will maybe have a better idea."

Benitez' annoyance with England is barely below the surface when he discusses Gerrard, who has played just 25 minutes since the injury against Ukraine and will miss his third successive match tomorrow.

"Steven picked up this injury while playing for England. He lasted only until half-time of the game (in Ukraine)," Benitez said.

"He rested for two days and then had the same problem in his next training session for England.

"We rested him for one game and then he lasted just 25 minutes of the next match, against Lyon. Since then he has not been able to train or play.

"We now have to be careful. He is working with the physios and I have talked with the doctor. The decision is to continue with the same treatment for a few days. Then we will see.

"We do not want to put him under any further risk. He was unable to play against Manchester United and we won but we obviously need Steven to be fit and available.

"He has just been nominated for world player of the year, along with Fernando, and they both deserve it. And it also shows the quality we are missing when they cannot play.

"We are pleased for them and the club that they are being spoken of at such a level, so it is clear that they are not just any player, they are world class and we miss them. Any team would."

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Fergie moves on from Liverpool loss

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is refusing to dwell on finishing second best to Liverpool.

A 2-0 defeat at Anfield saw champions United stay in Chelsea's slipstream at the top of the Premier League table.

Ferguson is intent on looking forward, not back and was heartened that an inexperienced side overcame Barnsley in the Carling Cup in midweek.

However, he could be without defenders Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, who both have calf injuries, against Blackburn at Old Trafford tomorrow.

Ferguson said: "They will both want to play after the disappointment of last Sunday.

"But then we had the game on Tuesday. You have to get on with life.

"It was good for the young players to go away. Last year the ties were mostly at home.

"It is a different thing altogether and they acquitted themselves quite well."

Ferguson added: "Vidic has been bothered with his calf for a few weeks now. We have sent him to a specialist about it. We will see what he is like today."

Blackburn, whose squad have been struck by swine flu, have lost all four games on the road in the league this season.

Rovers were thrashed 5-0 by Chelsea at the weekend although, like United, they progressed in the cup at the expense of Peterborough, managed by Ferguson's son Darren.

Ferguson said: "I spoke to Sam before the Chelsea game and he had concerns about the flu.

"He had players missing but David Dunn was back during the week and maybe others will be fit. Flu does happen but so far we are okay.

"I am not sure what kind of team Sam will be able to pick but it will be a hard game as it is a local derby.

"While I am told they have a poor away record, I think Sam has had to build a different team."

Ferguson is quietly confident a regulatory commission will overturn Fabio's booking at Barnsley after citing a case of mistaken identity to the Football Association .

Fabio was booked for a challenge on Jamal Campbell-Ryce when the offender was his twin brother Rafael.

Ferguson said: "I did not know about it. The pair mentioned it themselves. It is right (to appeal).

"If it came to January and he (Fabio) got five bookings and a ban then he would feel a bit aggrieved. I don't think there is any issue about it."

Michael Owen staked a claim for a place in the team against Blackburn by scoring his third goal of the season against Barnsley.

Ferguson said: "It was a fantastic goal, real quality. It was a good finish, he showed how quick he is. He did well."

Danny Welbeck, who made the breakthrough at Barnsley, is out of the squad with a knee injury while Gary Neville is suspended after being sent off at Oakwell.

Darren Fletcher has returned to training following a groin strain and could be involved against Chelsea next week.

www.espnstar.com

Reds ravaged by injuries

United have a host of injury concerns ahead of Saturday's early evening clash with Blackburn Rovers at Old Trafford.

Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Ryan Giggs are all doubts, while Darren Fletcher, Danny Welbeck and Ji-sung Park are certainly sidelined. Gary Neville is suspended after receiving a straight red card at Barnsley on Tuesday.

"We have some doubts for tomorrow," Sir Alex Ferguson admitted at his pre-match press conference. "Ryan Giggs is a doubt but we hope he’ll be okay. Ferdinand and Vidic are both doubts – we’ll see what they’re like today. Gary Neville is suspended of course. Hopefully we can get one or two fit for tomorrow but we’re facing an uphill fight.

"Vidic has had a calf problem for a few weeks now. We’ve seen a specialist about it so we’ll see what he’s like today. Rio and Vida both want to play after the disappointment of last Sunday (at Anfield)."

Sir Alex also confirmed that Park's knee injury is providing cause for concern, after the midfielder developed some swelling during a recent flight back from Korea. "We think he’ll be out for a couple of weeks yet," said the manager.

There was some positive news surrounding Fletcher, who has been absent since United's draw with Sunderland four weeks ago. "Darren Fletcher started training yesterday," said Sir Alex. "That was his first day back training with the first team. He won’t be fit for tomorrow but hopefully we’ll get him ready for the Chelsea game. He’ll get 10 days’ training before that."

www.manutd.com

liverpool vs mu

liverpool liverpool beat by a score of 2-0
pencetak gol liverpool adalah torres dan ngog liverpool is a goalscorer and Ngog torres
berkat kemenangan itu, liverpool naik peringkat ke peringkat 5 thanks to the victory, liverpool up to rank 5 rating

torres's profile

Fernando José Torres Sanz (born 20 March 1984) is a Spanish footballer who plays for Premier League club Liverpool and the Spanish national team as a striker.

Torres started his career with Atlético Madrid, progressing through their youth ranks. He made his professional debut in 2001 and finished his career with the club having scored 75 goals in 174 La Liga appearances, earning the nickname El Niño ("The Kid"). Prior to his La Liga debut, Torres played two seasons in the Segunda División, making 40 appearances and scoring seven goals. He joined Liverpool in 2007, after signing for a club record transfer fee. He marked his first season at Anfield by being Liverpool's first player, since Robbie Fowler in 1995–96, to score more than 20 league goals in a season.

He is also a Spanish international and made his debut for the country against Portugal in 2003. He has since participated in three major tournaments, UEFA Euro 2004, 2006 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2008. He did not score a goal at Euro 2004, but he scored three at World Cup 2006. Torres scored the winning goal for Spain in their 1–0 win over Germany in the UEFA Euro 2008 Final.

history of liverpool

If it wasn't for one man, Liverpool Football Club would never have been born. When Everton left Anfield in a dispute over rent in 1892, club chairman John Houlding stayed behind along with a handful of supporters and just three first-team players. But he was determined to see football continue at the ground. He formed a new club from scratch, chose the name Liverpool… and created a legend.

Even John Houlding couldn't have predicted how successful it would become. More than 100 years on, no English club can match the LiverpoolFC roll of honour; League Champions 18 times, FA Cup winners seven times, League Cup winners seven times, European Cup winners five times and UEFA Cup winners three times.

When it is completed, the History channel will chart the rise and rise of Liverpool FC to the very summit of the England game, from the struggles of the early years right up to Gerard Houllier's historic treble in 2001. This channel will recall glorious domestic victories and European triumphs and reflect on the tragedies of Heysel and Hillsborough.

We've focused on 10 key dates in Liverpool Football Club's history to begin with but over time, we'll have over 100 chapters in this section alone as we present the ultimate history of England's greatest ever football club. This is a story of incredible passion and pride - a story that not only inspires Liverpool fans but football supporters the world over.

1892 – Liverpool Football Club formed
	The history of Liverpool Football Club begins with our greatest rivals and neighbours, Everton, for it was from a dispute with Everton that Liverpool Football Club was born. More ››

1901 - Our first title win
	In mid-February of the 1900-01 season, Liverpool had lost eight games and conceded 31 goals and the championship looked a pipe-dream. Twelve games later and after nine wins and three draws, the title was ours. Here's how we did it… More ››

1950 - First Wembley appearance
	Arsenal provided the opposition when Liverpool made their first appearance at Wembley. It should have been a momentous occasion in the club's history but a 2-0 defeat prolonged the Reds’ wait for FA Cup glory. More ››

1959 - Shankly appointed manager
	December 1st 1959 is a date that will forever be etched in the annals of Anfield history. For it was on this day that Liverpool Football Club announced Huddersfield Town boss Bill Shankly would be their new manager in succession to Phil Taylor. More ››

1965 - Winning the FA Cup for first time
	There was a feeling of quiet optimism around Anfield that this could, at last, be Liverpool’s year in the competition we so desperately craved success in. After all, we were the reigning league champions and, under Bill Shankly, anything seemed possible. More ››

1977 - European Champions
	If winning the FA Cup for the first time in 1965 is regarded as the greatest day in the history of Liverpool Football Club, then there is no doubt that winning the European Cup for the first time in 1977 was the greatest night. More ››

1985 - Heysel Disaster
	No one will ever forget the tragic events at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels on May 29 1985. Liverpool were playing Juventus in the European Cup Final and what should have been one of the greatest nights in the club's history turned into the lowest. More ››

1986 - Doing the Double
	Liverpool Football Club kicked off the 1985/86 under a giant cloud. The events of Heysel just four months previous had heaped shame on Anfield but that grey cloud was to have a glorious silver lining. More ››

1989 – Hillsborough
	On April 15th 1989, over 25,000 Liverpool supporters travelled down to Hillsborough to watch the FA Cup semi-final match with Nottingham Forest. 96 of them never returned. More ››

2001 - Clinching the cup treble
	Just four days after dramatically snatching the FA Cup from Arsenal's grasp in Cardiff, and with the Worthington Cup already safely tucked away in the Anfield trophy cabinet, Liverpool's class of 2001 completed an unprecedented cup treble. More ››

2005 - Champions League Winners 2005
	On what will go down as THE most incredible night in this club's illustrious history Liverpool reclaimed their crown as Kings of Europe after miraculously overcoming a 3-0 half-time deficit to defeat AC Milan at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul.. More ››

2006 - FA CUP WINNERS 2006
	The 2006 FA Cup Final will be remembered in Anfield folklore as the Gerrard final as captain fantastic Steven Gerrard rescued Liverpool with a stunning last minute equaliser to break West Ham's hearts and force extra-time... More ››

liverpool

carragher insists Liverpool have the belief and quality to bounce back from Saturday's defeat at Sunderland - starting with Tuesday's Champions League clash with Lyon.

Darren Bent scored the only goal of the game but it was a moment of controversy after his fifth-minute strike deflected off an inflatable ball thrown on to the pitch by a supporter to deceive Pepe Reina on its way into the net. "It was frustrating for us but Chelsea also lost so there is still a long way to go," said Carragher. "Now is not the time to talk about the title. We are looking to the next game. "We now have the Champions League tie against Lyon which will be in front of our own supporters at Anfield to restore some confidence before we take on Manchester United next Sunday. "We will stick together and work hard on the training ground to put things right. We know we've got a good team, good players and a good manager so we've got to have belief in ourselves and keep going. "We have the quality and the belief we will get back to winning ways soon, hopefully starting on Tuesday against Lyon." The vice-captain refused to use the absence of key duo Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres as a pivotal factor behind the Sunderland defeat and claimed the squad has the quality to cope with injuries. "It's easy to say we missed Stevie and Fernando and yes they are world-class players, but we have a big squad and we have won without them before. "Sunderland played well. We weren't at our best but we can bounce back and restore some confidence."

trio shortlisted for top prize

Trio shortlisted for top prize

Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic could follow in Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps… by winning the prestigious Ballon d’Or.

The United stars are three of 30 European-based players on the shortlist, announced by France Football on Saturday. The award, won by Ronaldo last year while wearing United colours, is voted for by world football journalists.

Giggs has been in sparkling form in 2009 and earlier in the year won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award. Rooney, too, has continued his emergence as one of the brightest talents in European football, particularly since the departure of Ronaldo to Real Madrid in the summer.

Meanwhile, Nemanja Vidic has been consistently rock-solid at the heart of United's defence and, back in May, was the recipient of the Sir Matt Busby Players' Player of the Year award, voted for by his club team-mates.

The Barclays Premier League is well represented in this year’s Ballon d’Or nominations: 10 of the 30 nominees currently play their football in England. But it’s Barcelona’s Lionel Messi who’s widely tipped to take the crown from Ronaldo when this year’s winner is announced on 1 December.

Ronaldo’s chances of becoming the first player to win back-to-back Ballon d’Or titles since Marco van Basten achieved the feat in 1989 shouldn’t be discounted: in the first half of 2009 he helped the Reds to Carling Cup and Barclays Premier League silverware and scored 16 goals after the turn of the year.

Since joining Real Madrid in the summer he’s netted nine times in seven games.

mu vs bolton

United 2 Bolton 1

For once, United fans were delighted there were no late goals at Old Trafford.

After cruising through the opening 60 minutes and creating enough chances to have hit double figures, Sir Alex's men ended the match clinging on to a narrow advantage and weathering a barrage of Bolton attacks.

There was a collective sigh of relief when Mark Clattenburg finally blew for full-time, followed by a chorus of “United, top of the league” from the Stretford End. Indeed, despite the visitors’ best efforts and a Matthew Taylor goal 15 minutes from time, an early Zat Knight own goal and Antonio Valencia’s first strike for the Reds netted the three points and ensured United’s top-dog status after Chelsea’s earlier defeat at Aston Villa.

With Wayne Rooney sidelined with a calf injury sustained on England duty, Sir Alex turned to Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen to lead the line against 13th-placed Bolton. It was the first time the pair had started for the Reds and it took just four minutes before United were in front. Owen played a part in the goal, glancing Patrice Evra’s cross before the ball bounced off the hapless Knight and into his own net.

Sir Alex had made wholesale changes in midfield after the Reds’ abject performance against Sunderland a fortnight ago. Anderson and Michael Carrick were preferred in the centre, with Antonio Valencia and Ryan Giggs on the flanks. Anderson was particularly effective, battling well for possession and using the ball intelligently when he invariably won it. When he’s in the mood, the Brazilian’s pass-and-move game is a joy to watch.

argentina

Violation of Jose Martin Caceres for Uruguay fatal fruit. Sebab, dia terkena kartu merah. Because, she's got a red card. Berawal dari pelanggaran itu, Argentina membuka jalan dan lolos ke putaran final Piala Dunia 2010, setelah menang 1-0 dalam partai terakhir kualifikasi Zona CONMEBOL, Rabu atau Kamis (15/10). Starting from the violation, Argentina opened the way and qualify for the World Cup finals in 2010, after a 1-0 win in the last party CONMEBOL qualifying zone, Wednesday or Thursday (15/10).

Meski begitu, Uruguay masih belum tersingkir. However, Uruguay still not eliminated. Mereka berada di urutan ke-5 klasemen akhir, setelah Ekuador kalah 0-1 dari Cile. They were in the order of the 5 final standings, after Ecuador's 0-1 defeat to Chile. Uruguay akan menghadapi urutan ke-4 Zona CONCACAF dalam babak play-of untuk memperebutkan satu tiket final. Uruguay will face a ranked 4th in the CONCACAF Zone play-of to fight a final ticket.

Ini memang partai hidup-mati antara Uruguay dan Argentina. This is the party life and death between Uruguay and Argentina. Keduanya dipaksa menang untuk lolos ke putaran final Piala Dunia 2010 di Afrika Selatan (Afsel). Both were forced to win to qualify for the World Cup finals in 2010 in South Africa (South Africa). Argentina masih sedikit lega, karena hasil seri pun bisa membuat mereka lolos. Argentina is still a little relieved, because even a draw could make their escape.

Meski begitu, pertandingan ini tetap berlangsung ketat dan tegang. Still, the game remained tight and tense place. Tampil di kandang sendiri, Uruguay langfsung mencoba menekan sejak awal. Shown at home, trying to suppress langfsung Uruguay since the beginning.

Di babak pertama, Diego Forlan dkk sempat beberapa kali membahayakan pertahanan Argentina. In the first half, Diego Forlan et al had a couple of times jeopardize Argentina defense. Namun, serangan mereka kurang kreatif, sehingga mudah dimentahkan barisan belakang "Tim Tango". However, their attacks less creative, so easily countered back row "Tim Tango". Pelatih Argentina, Diego Coach Argentina, Diego

Memasuki babak kedua, Uruguay kembali berusaha menekan dengan menerapkan serangan cepat. Entering the second half, Uruguay back to press by applying fast attacks. Argentina sendiri masih tampak kurang tenang bermain, hingga sering kewalahan. Argentina still looks less cool to play, so often overwhelmed. Maradona, tiba-tiba menarik Gonzalo Higuain dan diganti dengan Mario Ariel Bolatti pada menit ke-79. Maradona, suddenly pulled Gonzalo Higuain and replaced by Mario Ariel Bolatti at minute 79. Tampaknya, Maradona ingin lini depannya lebih tajam. Apparently, Maradona wants sharper front line.

Argentina yang menerapkan serangan balik, mulai kerap membuka peluang. Argentina is implementing a counterattack, starting often opens opportunities. Pada menit ke-84, Marti In the 84th minute, Marti
Susunan Pemainn Demichelis melakukan penetrasi di sisi kiri pertahanan Uruguay. Composition Demichelis Pemainn penetration on the left side of the Uruguayan defense.

Serangan ini membuat Martin Caceres harus menghentikannya. This attack makes Martin Caceres have to stop it. Dia pun menerima kartu kuning kedua, alias harus keluar. He also received a second yellow card, aka should get out. Tendangan bebas Argentina langsung diarahkan ke depan gawang Uruguay. Argentina free kick directly in front of goal directed Uruguay. Sempat terjadi kemelut, akhirnya Bolatti meraih bola liar dan melesakkannya ke gawang Uruguay. Had been a crisis, finally grabbed the ball Bolatti melesakkannya wild and Uruguay on goal. Gol menit ke-84 itulah yang menentukan Argentina lolos ke putaran final Piala Dunia 2010. Goal-84 minutes to determine that Argentina qualify for the World Cup finals in 2010.

Dengan 10 pemain, Uruguay mencoba menekan. With 10 players, Uruguay tried to suppress. Namun, mereka semakin kurang tenaga dan akhirnya menyerah kalah. However, they are increasingly less energy and eventually surrendered.

Skuad Argentina pun langsung teriak histeris, termasuk pelatih Diego Maradona. Argentina squad was immediately shouted hysterically, including coach Diego Maradona. Sebab, mereka selama ini mendapat tekanan berat. Because, they have been getting heavy pressure.

fabregras

Captain Arsenal, Cesc Fabregas, saying how important the English League champions. Menurutnya, trofi Premier League lebih berarti dibanding juara Liga Champions ataupun Piala Dunia. According to him, the Premier League trophy means more than the title or the Champions League World Cup.

Selama enam tahun di Arsenal, pemain berusia 22 tahun itu hanya sekali mencicipi gelar juara, yakni saat "The Gunners" juara Piala FA 2005. During six years at Arsenal, 22-year-old player had only tasted the championship once, namely as "The Gunners' FA Cup winner 2005. Saat pertama kali datang ke London pada 2003, Arsenal memang menjadi juara Liga Inggris. When you first came to London in 2003, Arsenal had won the English League. Namun, saat itu Fabregas tidak termasuk dalam skuad utama sehingga medali juara tidak diberikan kepadanya. However, Fabregas was not included in the main squad that won the medal was not given to him.

Itu sebabnya mantan pemain jebolan Barcelona itu sangat berhasrat memenangi Liga Inggris. Playmaker asal Spanyol itu bahkan menomorduakan gelar lain yang lebih besar. That's why dropout former Barcelona player was so eager to win the English League. Playmaker from Spain's other titles subordinated even larger.

"Setiap tahun aku merasakan betapa besarnya arti Premier League. Lebih besar dari itu, ada Liga Champions dan Piala Dunia. Namun, begitu Anda bermain di sini, Anda menyadari betapa para fans bersemangat terhadap Premier League," katanya seperti dikutip The Sun . "Every year I feel how much the meaning of the Premier League. More than that, there is the Champions League and World Cup. But once you play here, you realize how passionate fans of the Premier League," he said as quoted by The Sun.

Bagi Fabregas, ada rasa kepuasan tersendiri jika ia bisa mengantar "Meriam London" juara di Inggris. For Fabregas, there is a sense of satisfaction if he could take "Cannon London" in the English champion. Ia menilai Premier League merupakan liga paling sulit di antara liga domestik di negara lain. He considered the Premier League is the most difficult league in the domestic leagues in other countries. Kini merupakan saat paling tepat untuk mewujudkan keinginannya tersebut. Now is the most appropriate time to realize that desire.

"Kurasa, di Inggris, Liga Primer adalah yang terbesar. Semua tim papan atas Eropa berusaha memenangi liga mereka sendiri. Namun, Liga Inggris yang paling sulit dimenangi," ungkap pemain bernama lengkap Francesc Fabregas Soler itu. "I think, in England, the Premier League is the largest. All of the top European teams trying to win their own league. However, the English League won the most difficult," said the player full name is Francesc Fabregas Soler. "Aku lebih berambisi memenanginya sekarang dibanding ketika pertama kali aku tiba." "I'm more ambitious now than when he won the first time I arrived."

LONDON, KOMPAS.com — Kapten Arsenal, Cesc Fabregas, mengatakan betapa pentingnya menjadi juara Liga Inggris. Menurutnya, trofi Premier League lebih berarti dibanding juara Liga Champions ataupun Piala Dunia.

Selama enam tahun di Arsenal, pemain berusia 22 tahun itu hanya sekali mencicipi gelar juara, yakni saat "The Gunners" juara Piala FA 2005. Saat pertama kali datang ke London pada 2003, Arsenal memang menjadi juara Liga Inggris. Namun, saat itu Fabregas tidak termasuk dalam skuad utama sehingga medali juara tidak diberikan kepadanya.

Itu sebabnya mantan pemain jebolan Barcelona itu sangat berhasrat memenangi Liga Inggris. Playmaker asal Spanyol itu bahkan menomorduakan gelar lain yang lebih besar.

"Setiap tahun aku merasakan betapa besarnya arti Premier League. Lebih besar dari itu, ada Liga Champions dan Piala Dunia. Namun, begitu Anda bermain di sini, Anda menyadari betapa para fans bersemangat terhadap Premier League," katanya seperti dikutip The Sun.

Bagi Fabregas, ada rasa kepuasan tersendiri jika ia bisa mengantar "Meriam London" juara di Inggris. Ia menilai Premier League merupakan liga paling sulit di antara liga domestik di negara lain. Kini merupakan saat paling tepat untuk mewujudkan keinginannya tersebut.

"Kurasa, di Inggris, Liga Primer adalah yang terbesar. Semua tim papan atas Eropa berusaha memenangi liga mereka sendiri. Namun, Liga Inggris yang paling sulit dimenangi," ungkap pemain bernama lengkap Francesc Fabregas Soler itu. "Aku lebih berambisi memenanginya sekarang dibanding ketika pertama kali aku tiba."

MONTEVIDEO, KOMPAS.com - Pelanggaran Jose Martin Caceres berbuah fatal buat Uruguay. Sebab, dia terkena kartu merah. Berawal dari pelanggaran itu, Argentina membuka jalan dan lolos ke putaran final Piala Dunia 2010, setelah menang 1-0 dalam partai terakhir kualifikasi Zona CONMEBOL, Rabu atau Kamis (15/10).

Meski begitu, Uruguay masih belum tersingkir. Mereka berada di urutan ke-5 klasemen akhir, setelah Ekuador kalah 0-1 dari Cile. Uruguay akan menghadapi urutan ke-4 Zona CONCACAF dalam babak play-of untuk memperebutkan satu tiket final.

Ini memang partai hidup-mati antara Uruguay dan Argentina. Keduanya dipaksa menang untuk lolos ke putaran final Piala Dunia 2010 di Afrika Selatan (Afsel). Argentina masih sedikit lega, karena hasil seri pun bisa membuat mereka lolos.

Meski begitu, pertandingan ini tetap berlangsung ketat dan tegang. Tampil di kandang sendiri, Uruguay langfsung mencoba menekan sejak awal.

Di babak pertama, Diego Forlan dkk sempat beberapa kali membahayakan pertahanan Argentina. Namun, serangan mereka kurang kreatif, sehingga mudah dimentahkan barisan belakang "Tim Tango". Pelatih Argentina, Diego

Memasuki babak kedua, Uruguay kembali berusaha menekan dengan menerapkan serangan cepat. Argentina sendiri masih tampak kurang tenang bermain, hingga sering kewalahan. Maradona, tiba-tiba menarik Gonzalo Higuain dan diganti dengan Mario Ariel Bolatti pada menit ke-79. Tampaknya, Maradona ingin lini depannya lebih tajam.

Argentina yang menerapkan serangan balik, mulai kerap membuka peluang. Pada menit ke-84, Marti
Susunan Pemainn Demichelis melakukan penetrasi di sisi kiri pertahanan Uruguay.

Serangan ini membuat Martin Caceres harus menghentikannya. Dia pun menerima kartu kuning kedua, alias harus keluar. Tendangan bebas Argentina langsung diarahkan ke depan gawang Uruguay. Sempat terjadi kemelut, akhirnya Bolatti meraih bola liar dan melesakkannya ke gawang Uruguay. Gol menit ke-84 itulah yang menentukan Argentina lolos ke putaran final Piala Dunia 2010.

Dengan 10 pemain, Uruguay mencoba menekan. Namun, mereka semakin kurang tenaga dan akhirnya menyerah kalah.

Skuad Argentina pun langsung teriak histeris, termasuk pelatih Diego Maradona. Sebab, mereka selama ini mendapat tekanan berat.

update klasmen bpl

Klasemen Liga Inggris 2009/2010

Klub	M	M	S	K	SG	Nilai
Chelsea	8	7	0	1	18-6	21
Manchester United	8	6	1	1	19-8	19
Tottenham Hotspur	8	5	1	2	19-12	16
Manchester City	7	5	1	1	16-7	16
Arsenal	7	5	0	2	24-10	15
Liverpool	8	5	0	3	22-12	15
Sunderland	8	4	1	3	16-13	13
Aston Villa	7	4	1	2	9-6	13
Burnley	8	4	0	4	7-16	12
Everton	7	3	1	3	9-11	10
Stoke City	8	2	3	3	6-10	9
Wigan Athletic	8	3	0	5	8-15	9
Bolton Wanderers	7	2	2	3	10-11	8
Birmingham City	8	2	1	5	5-8	7
Fulham	7	2	1	4	6-10	7
Blackburn Rovers	7	2	1	4	8-15	7
Wolverhampton Wanderers	8	2	1	5	7-14	7
Hull City	8	2	1	5	8-20	7
West Ham United	7	1	2	4	8-11	5
Portsmouth	8	1	0	7

ibrakadabra...

BARCELONA, KOMPAS.com - Bek Barcelona, Maxwell, mengatakan, Barcelona sangat suportif kepada Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Ia yakin, Ibra bakal langsung mencapai sukses pada musim pertamanya di Camp Nou.

Ibra meninggalkan Inter dan bergabung dengan Barcelona pada bursa transfer lalu. Pada masa-masa awal, ia sempat kesulitan beradaptasi dengan permainan Barcelona. Ia pun diragukan bisa tampil tajam.

Meski begitu, rekan-rekan tim tak bosan mendukungnya. Xavi Hernandez, Lionel Messi, dan Thierry Henry tak pernah lelah mengumpan Ibra, meski tak membuahkan gol.

Dukungan itu akhirnya membuahkan hasil ketika Ibra membukukan gol perdananya di duel pertama Divisi Primera musim ini. Selanjutnya, ia selalu mencetak gol di Divisi Primera. Ketajamanya baru berhenti saat duel versus Almeria, akhir pekan lalu.

Menurut Maxwell, hal itu tak berarti akhir performa Ibra. Ia yakin, Ibra akan kembali membuktikan ketajamannya pada pertarungan-pertarungan berikut.

"Ibrahimovic telah datang ke Barcelona di masa-masa terbaiknya. Ia akan berusaha sangat baik di sini. Aku yakin, ini akan menjadi musim yang hebat untuknya.

Selain itu, Maxwell juga mengungkapkan rasa bangganya bermain di Barcelona. Ia mengaku tak khawatir menghadapi persaingan dengan bek Eric Abidal. menurutnya, yang penting adalah berlatih, dan tampil sebaik mungkin setiap ada kesempatan.

"Abidal bermain dengan sangat baik. Yang terpenting adalah selalu siap mengambil kesempatan yang diberikan dan melakukan hal positif untuk tim," ujarnya

kaka

MADRID, KOMPAS.com - Gelandang Real Madrid, Ricardo Kaka, ingin mengulang sukses menjadi Pemain Terbaik Dunia. Ia berharap sukses di Madrid dan timnas Brasil agar harapan itu terlaksana.

Saat masih bermain di AC Milan, Kaka pernah dinobatkan sebagai yang Pemain Terbaik 2007. Itu berkat penampilan gemilangnya mengantar "I Rossoneri" juara Liga Champions. Sayang, setelah itu prestasi Milan melempem. Kaka pun sering dirundung cedera.

Kini Kaka pindah ke Madrid dan bergabung dengan Pemain Terbaik Dunia 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo. Di awal musim , "El Real" tampil baik meski menelan kekalahan pada laga terakhir La Liga melawan Sevilla. Namun, itu tak menghalangi niat Kaka untuk kembali menyabet gelar Ballon d'Or dan Pemain Terbaik FIFA.

"Terpilih lagi sebagai yang terbaik di dunia harus mengumpulkan sejumlah piala. Kukira aku mungkin meraihnya bersama Madrid dan 'Selecao'," kata Kaka kepada AS.

Kini Kaka siap berkonsentrasi untuk membawa Brasil juara Piala Dunia 2010. Brasil masih akan menghadapi Bolivia dan Venezuela di kualifikasi Piala Dunia kali ini. Brasil sudah lolos ke putaran final sehingga Kaka tinggal menyiapkan diri sebelum berangkat ke Afrika Selatan pada Juni mendatang.

"Aku berusaha sebaik mungkin untuk meraihnya. Setiap kali Brasil bersiap baik, kami meraih sukses, tapi hal itu tak terjadi pada (Piala Dunia) 2006," ujarnya.

Kaka kemungkinan masih menjadi kandidat pemain terbaik tahun ini. Namun, pemenang favorit masih di tangan Lionel Messi meski ia masih berjuang meloloskan Argentina ke Afsel

pendukung milan marah

Kekalahan di tangan FC Zurich pada Liga Champions Eropa di Stadion San Siro Milan, Rabu lalu membuat pendukung AC Milan berang dan mempertanyakan masa depan klub kesayangan mereka itu.

Kekalahan AC Milan di tangan FC Zurich diwarnai penampilan Inzaghi dkk yang beberapa kali memiliki peluang emas namun gagal membuahkan gol ke gawang lawan. Meski dua kali tendangan pemain Milan membentur tiang gawang, penonton secara terus menerus mengejek pemain dan pelatih Leonardo.

Pendukung juga mempertanyakan keputusan wapres klub AC Milan, Galliani menunjuk manajer tim Leonardo dan minimnya pembelian pemain setelah kepergian Kaka ke Real Madrid. Kepergian Kaka diperparah dengan hengkangnya pelatih Carlo Ancelotti ke Chelsea London.

Keberadaan pemilik klub Silvio Berlusconi juga dipertanyakan. “Pemilik klub tak punya komitmen lagi bersama kami, apa yang dilakukannya hanya membuat AC Milan akan tersungkur ke Seri-B kecuali ia menjual klub ke pihak lain,” kata salah seorang pendukung.

LA Galaxy Sepakat Pinjamkan Beckham ke AC Milan

Jum'at, 09 Oktober 2009 | 09:22 WIB

TEMPO Interaktif,Los Angeles:Klub MLS, Los Angeles Galaxy mengizinkan bintangnya David Beckham untuk kembali bergabung dengan AC Milan dengan status pinjaman pada Januari mendatang. Namun, klub menginginkan Becks untuk segera bergabung di San Siro agar bisa kembali bergabung di LA Juli mendatang .

Galaxy akan meminjamkan Becks kepada Milan untuk mempertahankan kebugaran fisiknya dan terus bergabung dengan skuad Fabio Capello di Piala Dunia 2010 di Afrika Selatan, jelang kembali digelarnya laga MLS, Maret mendatang.

Tim Leiweke, Direktur Eksekutif perusahaan induk Galaxy AEG mengaku pihaknya telah memberi lampu hijau kepada Becks. “Kami mengapresiasi apa yang Becks lakukan di Galaxy dengan tim nasional Inggris. Saya ingin agar ia menyadari bahwa kami akan mendukungnya dan akan meminjamkannya kepada AC Milan,” ungkap Leiweke.

Meski senang bisa meminjamkan Becks, Leiweke optimstis suai Victoria itu akan menghargai kontraknya di Galaxy. “Kami tahu Becks harus bermain di Eropa untuk bisa memperbesar peluangnya tampil di Piala Dunia. Ia akan berada di Italia pada Januari dan kami memperkirakan ia akan kembali bergabung dengan Galaxy pada Juli,” bebernya.

“Kami dan Becks mempunyai kesepakatan kontrak dan meski publik menuding kami akan menjualnya, ia akan menghabiskan kariernya di Galaxy.”

Leiweke mnambahkan ia berharap nama besar Becks bisa memantik pemain bintang dunia lainnya datang di Galaxy. “Jika kami tidak mempunyai pemain sekaliber Becks kami akan berkeliling untuk mengatakan kami adalah klub kooperatif. Kami tidak bisa meraih sukses hanya dengan seorang pemain bintang,” tutupnya.

giggs

Cerita tentang kehebatan Ryan Giggs (36) memang sudah tidak terbantahkan lagi. Penampilannya tiap musim tidak menunjukkan adanya penurunan, malah semakin membaik.

Pemain asal Wales yang nama aslinya Ryan Joseph Wilson ini, merupakan salah satu pemain sayap terbaik sepanjang sejarah dan dikenal karena loyalitasnya di Manchester United.

Giggs bergabung dengan MU pada usia 14 tahun setelah Fergie sendiri yang mendatangi rumahnya. Dia menandatangani kontrak profesional yang pertama dengan United bulan November 1990. Dia melakukan debut pertamanya setahun kemudian saat bertanding melawan Everton di Old Trafford.

Sejak musim 1990/1991, dia telah mengoleksi 11 gelar juara Premier League, 4 trofi Piala FA, 3 Piala Carling, 2 trofi Liga Champions, 1 Piala Winners, 1 Piala Super Eropa, 1 Piala Intercontinental, dan 7 kali juara Community Shield.

Selain gelar juara, Giggs juga mengukir rekor "mencetak gol di setiap musim". Ini membuktikan bahwa dia memiliki peran yang sangat vital di Manchester United. Giggs telah mencetak 150 gol dalam penampilannya yang ke-814 bersama Setan Merah.

Dilihat dari semua pencapaiannya itu, sebenarnya Giggs layak diberikan gelar kebangsawanan "Sir" seperti Sir Alex Ferguson. Di situs www.mustbered.com, Montgomerie menyusun 11 alasan mengapa Giggs layak diberi gelar "Sir". Teksnya sudah saya terjemahkan ke bahasa Indonesia (situs tersebut menggunakan bahasa Inggris).

Berikut adalah 11 alasan mengapa dia layak menerima kehormatan:

1. Giggs adalah pemain yang paling berkilau dalam sejarah sepakbola Inggris.

2. Giggs merupakan satu-satunya pemain yang bermain dan mencetak gol di setiap musim Premiership.

3. Giggs telah mencetak lebih dari 100 gol.

4. Gol spektakulernya ketika melawan Arsenal di Piala FA.

5. Giggs telah bermain banyak untuk Manchester United dibandingkan pemain lainnya.

6. Pemain sepakbola termuda yang mewakili Wales.

7. Memiliki 64 caps bersama Wales dan menjadi kapten tim.

8. Pemain yang tidak pernah kena kartu merah di Manchester United.

9. Seorang lelaki yang tidak pernah muncul masalah di media manapun.

10. Giggs pernah melakukan pengumpulan dana untuk amal. Dia pernah berprofesi sebagai Duta UNICEF yang melangsungkan kampanye untuk mencegah tewasnya anak-anak akibat ranjau darat tahun 2002 lalu. Dia juga aktif dalam usaha pemberantasan rasisme di dunia sepakbola bersama Ferdinand dan Thiery Henry.

11. Dikagumi oleh pemain dan manajer sebagai pemain terbaik di Premiership.

Memang bukan hal yang mudah dalam mempertahankan penampilan di level tertinggi bagi pemain yang sudah berusia 36 tahun. Akan tetapi, Giggs adalah pengecualian. Totalitas dan kemampuannya tetap vital bagi The Red Devils.

messi nge fans sama rooney

Lionel Messi mengagumi sosok striker Manchester United, Wayne Rooney. Messi senang melihat penampilan Rooney di atas lapangan. Skill Rooney didukung dengan antusias bermain yang tinggi menjadi daya tarik bagi Messi.

"Anda bisa melihat cinta dan gairah pertandingan di wajah Rooney. Saya merasa dia adalah salah satu pemain yang pantas dibayar 100 ribu poundsterling per pekan karena sepakbola mengalir dalam darahnya," kata Messi seperti dilansir News of The World, Senin (5/10/2009).

"Ketika dia kalah, itu menyakitkan baginya dan Rooney adalah tipe pemain yang anda inginkan bermain bersamanya," lanjutnya.

Messi juga memahami tekanan yang dihadapi Rooney saat ini. Namun, Messi juga melihat Rooney adalah satu dari sedikit pemain yang mampu bermain di bawah tekanan.

"Saya dapat memahami tekanan kepadanya. Tapi, jujur dari apa yang saya lihat. Rooney adalah tipe pemain yang akan berkembang di bawah tekanan," katanya lagi.

rooney jadi ayah

Striker Manchester United, Wayne Rooney, sebentar lagi akan menjadi ayah. Istrinya, Coleen McLoughlin, sedang mengandung anak pertama mereka dan kemungkinan rencananya akan melahirkan akhir Oktober ini.

Apabila proses kelahiran berjalan lebih cepat, Rooney mungkin tidak akan memperkuat MU pada laga melawan CSKA Moskow di matchday III Liga Champions (21/10/2009) dan Liverpool di Premier League (24/10/2009).

Rooney menyatakan bahwa dirinya akan berada di samping sang istri dan melihat kelahiran anak pertamanya. Namun, apabila proses kelahiran berjalan sesuai rencana, dia akan berada dalam rombongan tim ke Moskow.

"Jika semuanya berjalan sesuai rencana, saya akan tetap bermain untuk Manchester United. Karena untuk itulah saya dibayar," kata Rooney.

Rooney dan Coleen menikah di usia muda, yaitu 23 tahun. Pernikahan berlangsung pada 12 Juni 2008 setelah menjalani pacaran selama 6 tahun. Setelah menikah, Rooney terlihat lebih kalem dan tidak seagresif dulu lagi di atas lapangan.